Anthropogenic factors have significantly influenced the frequency, duration, and intensity of meteorological drought in many regions of the globe, and the increased frequency of wildfires is among the most visible consequences of human-induced climate change. Despite the fire role in determining biodiversity outcomes in different ecosystems, wildfires can cause negative impacts on wildlife. We conducted ground surveys along line transects to estimate the first-order impact of the 2020 wildfires on vertebrates in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. We adopted the distance sampling technique to estimate the densities and the number of dead vertebrates in the 39,030 square kilometers affected by fire. Our estimates indicate that at least 16.952 million vertebrates were killed immediately by the fires in the Pantanal, demonstrating the impact of such an event in wet savanna ecosystems. The Pantanal case also reminds us that the cumulative impact of widespread burning would be catastrophic, as fire recurrence may lead to the impoverishment of ecosystems and the disruption of their functioning. To overcome this unsustainable scenario, it is necessary to establish proper biomass fuel management to avoid cumulative impacts caused by fire over biodiversity and ecosystem services.

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Anthropogenic factors have significantly influenced the frequency, duration, and intensity of meteorological drought in many regions of the globe, and the increased frequency of wildfires is among the most visible consequences of human-induced climate change. Despite its role in determining biodiversity outcomes in different ecosystems, wildfires can cause negative impacts on wildlife. We conducted ground surveys along line transects to estimate the first-order impact of the 2020 wildfires on vertebrates in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil. We adopted the distance sampling technique to estimate the densities and the number of dead vertebrates in the 39,030 square kilometers affected by fire. Our estimates indicate that at least 16.952 million vertebrates were killed immediately by the fires in the Pantanal, demonstrating the impact of such an event in wet savanna ecosystems. The Pantanal case also reminds us that the cumulative impact of widespread burning would be catastrophic, as fire recurrence may lead to the impoverishment of ecosystems and the disruption of their functioning. To overcome this unsustainable scenario, it is necessary to establish proper biomass fuel management to avoid cumulative impacts caused by fire over biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Premise of the StudyMicrosatellite markers were developed in Deuterocohnia longipetala (Bromeliaceae) to investigate species and subspecies boundaries within the genus and the genetic diversity of natural populations.Methods and ResultsWe used 454 pyrosequencing to isolate 835 microsatellite loci in D. longipetala. Of 64 loci selected for primer design, 15 were polymorphic among 23 individuals of D. longipetala and 76 individuals of the heterologous subspecies D. meziana subsp. meziana and D. meziana subsp. carmineo‐viridiflora. Twelve and 13 of these loci were also polymorphic in one population each of D. brevispicata and D. seramisiana, respectively. Numbers of alleles per locus varied from two to 14 in D. longipetala, two to 12 in D. meziana, one to nine in D. brevispicata, and one to 10 in D. seramisiana. STRUCTURE analyses clearly separated the taxa from each other.ConclusionsThe 15 new microsatellite markers are promising tools for studying population genetics in Deuterocohnia species.

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The movement of organisms or genes among resource patches is fundamental to the persistence of natural populations over time. Species occurring in rock outcrops may have difficulty maintaining genetic connectivity due to the natural disjunct distribution of these formations, which may lead to genetic differentiation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis of genetic isolation among populations of Deuterocohnia meziana on rock outcrops in Brazil. We evaluated genetic diversity and structure, number of migrants, and the contribution of pollen and seed to dispersal. Additionally, we used niche modelling to estimate the potential distribution of D. meziana and combined this with genetic data to identify potential dispersal routes under different climatic scenarios from the Quaternary. Deuterocohnia meziana showed high diversity and moderate genetic structure, low number of migrants and more efficient dispersal by pollen. Only populations separated by > 70 km showed genetic differentiation. Dispersal routes varied mainly in the intensity of the environmental suitability and indicated the present scenario as the most favourable for gene flow in D. meziana. Our findings contribute to the understanding of processes related to the connectivity and isolation of naturally fragmented populations, highlighting the role of biotic and abiotic drivers for genetic differentiation.

Information on distribution, number of populations, and biotic interactions are essential for assessing the threat status of species and to establish more effective conservation initiatives. Ecological niche modeling have been successfully applied to identify the potential distribution, even for rare species that have few recorded occurrence points. In this study, we evaluated the potential distribution and additionally generated the first data on the reproductive biology of Discocactus ferricola, due to its degree of threat and the absence of ecological data for that species. The potential distribution map highlighted areas with higher probability of occurrence of D. ferricola on the Residual Plateau of Maciço do Urucum located in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The occurrence of D. ferricola populations was limited to outcrops of flat ironstone (cangas) distributed in patches across the landscape, increasing the chances of serious threats, such as habitat loss due to mining and species extraction. We also found that D. ferricola is xenogamous. Therefore, in situ conservation actions must prioritize the maintenance of interactions with pollinators by preserving the flora and fauna of rocky outcrops and adjacent forests in areas of greater environmental suitability for D. ferricola. Our study highlights the use of ecological niche modeling and data on biotic interactions to evaluate species potential distribution, to guide new sampling efforts, and to assist conservation and management initiatives.